


A Workout

by NotManTheLessButNatureMore



Series: I Love You [2]
Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 19:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotManTheLessButNatureMore/pseuds/NotManTheLessButNatureMore
Summary: “I’m gonna die of a heart attack and then I’ll have Ilsa sue you for unintentional manslaughter.”





	A Workout

“…eighty eight, eighty nine-“

 

“Fuck!”

 

“Come on, nearly there.”

 

Strike gave Robin the coldest stare he could manage but with his as face as flushed as it was he doubted it would do much to stop the torture she was currently imposing on him.

 

“COME ON!” Robin bellowed.

 

“Alright! Christ, you sure you weren’t a drill sergeant in a past life?”

 

Robin’s response was a glare that had Strike’s shoulders slumping in defeat.

 

“Ninety, ninety one, ninety two, ninety three-“

 

“Christ!” Strike exclaimed breathlessly as he dropped the skipping rope to the floor and put his hands on his knees.

 

“Old man.” Robin mumbled beside him with a smirk as she raised the dumbbells she was holding above her head.

 

“Old? I’ve just done thirty minutes on one of your bloody spin bikes!”

 

“And now you can’t even do a hundred skips.”

 

“I’m doing them one-legged!”

 

“So?”

 

“So that’s twice as hard.” Robin couldn’t contain a small laugh as she watched Strike stick his bottom lip out.

 

“You got to sixty without stopping, you can do a few more.”

 

“I’m gonna die of a heart attack and then I’ll have Ilsa sue you for unintentional manslaughter.” He huffed.

 

“You’re gonna give Ilsa legal instructions from beyond the grave?”

 

“Yep, reckless conduct this is.” Robin laughed and Strike’s frown stretched into a wide grin as he gazed at her pink cheeks.

 

“Come on, seven more and then we can go for a swim.” The promise of a relaxing swim and use of the jacuzzi after each workout was the only reason Robin had been able to get Strike to agree to start going to the gym with her. Four days a week, work allowing, he moaned his way through her choice of cardio, they struggled together through weights (although Robin had to admit that watching Strike in the weights room wasn’t a complete chore) and then met at the pool and swam a few lengths before relaxing in the jacuzzi which was often empty at the time of night they went.

 

“Oh christ, right I’m done.” Strike threw the skipping rope against the pile of exercise mats and grabbed their water bottles from the floor before pulling Robin with him towards the door.

 

“Strike!” She said as the dumbbells she was holding dropped to the floor.

 

“Swim!”

 

“I haven’t finished my shoulders!”

 

“Your shoulders are beautiful. Swim!” He said as he closed his hand around hers and continued pulling her out of the main part of the gym.

 

They separated at the bottom of the stairs, Strike heading left to the men’s changing room and Robin heading right to the women’s. She smiled remembering Strike’s suggestion on their first day there that the disabled changing room at the other end of the hall would be big enough for the two of them to change in.

 

She grabbed her bag from the locker and quickly changed into a yellow and navy swimsuit before running into the showers, rinsing herself off and pulling on a swim cap. Robin hurried out through the swing doors into the pool area hoping to be there before Strike but instead she was greeted with the image of him sitting submerged to his waist on the steps that led down into the pool outside the men’s changing room, his crutches discarded by the side of the pool. His shorts were a hazy black outline beneath the water and Robin’s eyes trailed across his back and shoulders, the ripple of muscles were becoming more defined as the weeks of exercise passed.

 

“You don’t shower first do you?” Robin accused Strike. No matter how quick she was he was still always sitting on the steps waiting for her with a smile.

 

“You just have to be quicker Ellacott.” He said as he pulled himself up using the rail to his right and, balanced on one leg, he took her hand with a quick glance at her swimsuit.

 

“I think that’s my favourite of yours.” Strike smiled.

 

“You say that about every one.”

 

“Hm. Guess it must be the body underneath that does it then.” He smirked and threw himself into the pool, pulling her after him with a splash as they both plunged under the water in a tangle of limbs.

 

“CORM!” Robin exclaimed when she broke the surface, grimacing at the water that had gone up her nose. Strike’s hands were around her waist, his good leg kicking valiantly to keep them both above the water.

 

“The pool is my territory remember? You’re gonna regret all that skipping rope business.” He said with a wink.

 

“Oh really?” Robin said and wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing closer than absolutely necessary. She saw the change in Strike’s face and returned his wink.

 

“That’s not… we still have to…” Strike spluttered and Robin smiled, as always enjoying every chance she got to make Cormoran Strike melt into a puddle.

 

“What?” She asked innocently, glancing around to make sure they were still alone.

 

“If you’re trying to get home quicker by giving me an extra propeller then it’s working.”

 

“CORMORAN!”

 

He laughed and then turned and swam away, gliding along the lane nearest to them towards the other end of the pool. Robin waited a moment, watching him with a smile and then set off herself to catch him. He had his back to her and both arms folded over the edge of the pool holding himself up when she arrived. She wrapped her arms around his chest and rested her chin on his shoulder, something that still brought a smile to her face as she imagined staying like that, whether in the pool or in bed, forever and feeling content. Strike glanced back and smiled.

 

“I love you Robin Venetia Ellacott.”

 

“I love you Cormoran Blue Strike.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you all for the kudos and comments on the last 'I Love you' installment :) Means a lot :)
> 
> Also, this is highly unrealistic because Robin and Strike could  
> a) never afford a gym in London with a pool  
> b) never find a gym in London with a pool, and  
> c) never afford or find a gym in London with a pool that was empty at night


End file.
